Olympian Akinradewo surprises St. Thomas volleyball team

Brooke Lyons and her teammates on the St. Thomas Aquinas volleyball team had just started a scrimmage in practice when some players seemed caught by surprise.

Lyons, a senior middle blocker, turned around and instantly understood why play had come to a stop.

Entering the gym was former Raider star Foluke Akinradewo and hanging around her neck was the silver medal she won in London with the United States volleyball team earlier this month.

“Everyone just started running up to her and clapping,” Lyons said. “We all took photos with her and it was really exciting. We’re all extremely proud of her.”

Added St. Thomas volleyball coach Lisa Zielinski, “She just walked in and the girls freaked out. She must have taken a thousand pictures with them all. It was so exciting.”

Akinradewo, a 2005 St. Thomas graduate, is coming off a memorable performance in the Olympic tournament.

Not only did she help lead the U.S. to a silver medal, but she proved herself as one of the top players in the world finishing in the top 10 in scoring during the tournament with 67 kills and 25 blocks.

“Right now, I’m still trying to get over the fact we didn’t reach our ultimate goal, but I’m an Olympian and that’s what you dream about as a kid,” Akinradewo said. “I was fortunate enough to be on a great team. We have a silver medal and it’s something I’ll never forget. I’m really blessed to have represented my country and to see all the support we had in the States. It was great.”

But Thursday’s visit to St. Thomas was also especially personal.

Akinradewo had never really played volleyball until she arrived at the school and was talked into trying the sport by Zielinski.

After graduating from St. Thomas, Akinradewo went on to star at Stanford where she earned multiple collegiate Player of the Year awards and finished her career with the best hitting percentage ever recorded by an NCAA Division I player.

For her, Thursday’s surprise visit was about providing inspiration and expressing her gratitude.

“I knew I was going to be home and I wanted to get back and really say ‘Thank you,’ to all of them,” Akinradewo said. “If it weren’t for Ms. Zielinski and the rest of the staff, I wouldn’t have ever picked up a volleyball. Sometimes, you’re in your own bubble and when you’re trying to win a gold medal, you lose sight of the fact that you’re inspiring other young individuals.”

Said Lyons, “Seeing her makes all of us feel like one day, we can do it too.”

Akinradewo was one of six former Raiders competing in London.

Former St. Thomas track standout Sanya Richards-Rosspicked up a pair of gold medals at the Games.